The present invention relates to a parcel rack, particularly a parcel rack for installation on vehicles such as bicycles. More specifically, the present invention relates to such a parcel rack which is capable of being folded and adjusted in varying different ways to obtain practical dimensional variations which enable the parcel rack to be used on vehicles of different sizes and and which facilitate easy storage of the parcel rack.
Various devices are known which can be mounted on bicycles, motorcycles and the like, and on which articles to be transported can be placed and fastened in various fashions. Such devices, commonly known as parcel racks, usually include a small metal frame generally rectangular in shape and forming a planar area on which parcels or packages are placed. This frame is attached at one end thereof to the bicycle structure and has on the sides thereof two bars serving as struts which are appropriately inclined in relation to the planar area and which are attachable on their free ends to the bicycle structure.
These lateral bars are integrally formed with the body of the small metal frame and are non-detachably affixed thereto. This structural configuration results in several disadvantages. First, as is known, bicycles or similar vehicles vary greatly in size and shape so that several types and sizes of parcel racks with appropriate dimensions are necessary. Additionally, since the two lateral bracing bars are permanently attached to the small rack frame, the resulting parcel rack inherently occupies a relatively great amount of space. Consequently, retailers of such accessories are forced to maintain in stock several types and sizes of parcel racks which, as mentioned above, occupy a considerable amount of space because of their shape.